scholarly journals Common and personal target genes of the micronutrient vitamin D in primary immune cells from human peripheral blood

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Antonio Neme ◽  
Marjo Malinen ◽  
Emmi Hämäläinen ◽  
Henna-Riikka Malmberg ◽  
...  

AbstractVitamin D is essential for the function of the immune system. In this study, we treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy adults with the biologically active form of vitamin D3, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) using two different approaches: single repeats with PBMCs obtained from a cohort of 12 individuals and personalized analysis based on triplicates of five study participants. This identified 877 (cohort approach) and 3951 (personalized approach) genes that significantly (p < 0.05) changed their expression 24 h after 1,25(OH)2D3 stimulation. From these, 333 and 1232 were classified as supertargets, a third of which were identified as novel. Individuals differed largely in their vitamin D response not only by the magnitude of expression change but also by their personal selection of (super)target genes. Functional analysis of the target genes suggested the overarching role of vitamin D in the regulation of metabolism, proliferation and differentiation, but in particular in the control of functions mediated by the innate and adaptive immune system, such as responses to infectious diseases and chronic inflammatory disorders. In conclusion, immune cells are an important target of vitamin D and common genes may serve as biomarkers for personal responses to the micronutrient.

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oona Koivisto ◽  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Carsten Carlberg

The biologically active form of vitamin D3, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), modulates innate and adaptive immunity via genes regulated by the transcription factor vitamin D receptor (VDR). In order to identify the key vitamin D target genes involved in these processes, transcriptome-wide datasets were compared, which were obtained from a human monocytic cell line (THP-1) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated in vitro by 1,25(OH)2D3, filtered using different approaches, as well as from PBMCs of individuals supplemented with a vitamin D3 bolus. The led to the genes ACVRL1, CAMP, CD14, CD93, CEBPB, FN1, MAPK13, NINJ1, LILRB4, LRRC25, SEMA6B, SRGN, THBD, THEMIS2 and TREM1. Public epigenome- and transcriptome-wide data from THP-1 cells were used to characterize these genes based on the level of their VDR-driven enhancers as well as the level of the dynamics of their mRNA production. Both types of datasets allowed the categorization of the vitamin D target genes into three groups according to their role in (i) acute response to infection, (ii) infection in general and (iii) autoimmunity. In conclusion, 15 genes were identified as major mediators of the action of vitamin D in innate and adaptive immunity and their individual functions are explained based on different gene regulatory scenarios.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henna-Riikka Malmberg ◽  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Mari Taipale ◽  
Sami Heikkinen ◽  
Carsten Carlberg

Microbe-associated molecular patterns, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and β-glucan (BG), are surrogates of immune challenges like bacterial and fungal infections, respectively. The biologically active form of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), supports the immune system in its fight against infections. This study investigated significant and prominent changes of the transcriptome of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells that immediately after isolation are exposed to 1,25(OH)2D3-modulated immune challenges over a time frame of 24-48 h. In this in vitro study design, most LPS and BG responsive genes are downregulated and their counts are drastically reduced when cells are treated 24 h after, 24 h before or in parallel with 1,25(OH)2D3. Interestingly, only a 1,25(OH)2D3 pre-treatment of the LPS challenge results in a majority of upregulated genes. Based on transcriptome-wide data both immune challenges display characteristic differences in responsive genes and their associated pathways, to which the actions of 1,25(OH)2D3 often oppose. The joined BG/1,25(OH)2D3 response is less sensitive to treatment sequence than that of LPS/1,25(OH)2D3. In conclusion, the functional consequences of immune challenges are significantly modulated by 1,25(OH)2D3 but largely depend on treatment sequence. This may suggest that a sufficient vitamin D status before an infection is more important than vitamin D supplementation afterwards.


Author(s):  
Samantha P. L. Law ◽  
Prudence N. Gatt ◽  
Stephen D. Schibeci ◽  
Fiona C. McKay ◽  
Steve Vucic ◽  
...  

AbstractAlthough genetic and epidemiological evidence indicates vitamin D insufficiency contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS), and serum levels of vitamin D increase on treatment with cholecalciferol, recent metanalyses indicate that this vitamin D form does not ameliorate disease. Genetic variation in genes regulating vitamin D, and regulated by vitamin D, affect MS risk. We evaluated if the expression of vitamin D responsive MS risk genes could be used to assess vitamin D response in immune cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from healthy controls and people with MS treated with dimethyl fumarate. We assayed changes in expression of vitamin D responsive MS risk (VDRMS) genes in response to treatment with 25 hydroxy vitamin D in the presence or absence of inflammatory stimuli. Expression of CYP24A1 and other VDRMS genes was significantly altered in PBMCs treated with vitamin D in the homeostatic and inflammatory models. Gene expression in MS samples had similar responses to controls, but lower initial expression of the risk genes. Vitamin D treatment abrogated these differences. Expression of CYP24A1 and other MS risk genes in blood immune cells indicate vitamin D response and could enable assessment of immunological response to vitamin D in clinical trials and on therapy.


2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 627-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan D. Lünemann ◽  
Frank Buttgereit ◽  
Robert Tripmacher ◽  
Christoph G. O. Baerwald ◽  
Gerd-Rüdiger Burmester ◽  
...  

Previous studies demonstrated that the adaptive response to stressors and inflammatory signals involves the activation of the automotic nervous system. Catecholamines have been shown to modulate the activity of various immune effector cells directly via membrane adrenergic receptors. Here, we investigated immediate effects of norepinephrine on energy metabolism of immune cells. Norepinephrine inhibits oxygen consumption of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells at concentrations that are relevant to its physiological range. The ?-adrenoreceptor antagonist propranolol, but not the ?-adrenoreceptor antagonist phentolamine reversed the norepinephrine induced inhibition in quiescent cells. Conversely, phentolamine but not propranolol is capable of blocking norepinephrine mediated effects in mitogen activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our data indicate that the sensitization of ?- and ?-adrenoreceptors on immune cells is differentially regulated, and that these processes depend on the activation state of these cells. These findings have important implications for the understanding of stress-induced suppression of immune function and may contribute to the elucidation of the pathogenesis of immunologically mediated diseases.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2097 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nipith Charoenngam ◽  
Michael F. Holick

Vitamin D is responsible for regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism and maintaining a healthy mineralized skeleton. It is also known as an immunomodulatory hormone. Experimental studies have shown that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, the active form of vitamin D, exerts immunologic activities on multiple components of the innate and adaptive immune system as well as endothelial membrane stability. Association between low levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and increased risk of developing several immune-related diseases and disorders, including psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, sepsis, respiratory infection, and COVID-19, has been observed. Accordingly, a number of clinical trials aiming to determine the efficacy of administration of vitamin D and its metabolites for treatment of these diseases have been conducted with variable outcomes. Interestingly, recent evidence suggests that some individuals might benefit from vitamin D more or less than others as high inter-individual difference in broad gene expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to vitamin D supplementation has been observed. Although it is still debatable what level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is optimal, it is advisable to increase vitamin D intake and have sensible sunlight exposure to maintain serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D at least 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L), and preferably at 40–60 ng/mL (100–150 nmol/L) to achieve the optimal overall health benefits of vitamin D.


2022 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 911
Author(s):  
Andrea Hanel ◽  
Carsten Carlberg

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) belong to the innate and adaptive immune system and are highly sensitive and responsive to changes in their systemic environment. In this study, we focused on the time course of transcriptional changes in freshly isolated human PBMCs 4, 8, 24 and 48 h after onset of stimulation with the active vitamin D metabolite 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). Taking all four time points together, 662 target genes were identified and segregated either by time of differential gene expression into 179 primary and 483 secondary targets or by driver of expression change into 293 direct and 369 indirect targets. The latter classification revealed that more than 50% of target genes were primarily driven by the cells' response to ex vivo exposure than by the nuclear hormone and largely explained its down-regulatory effect. Functional analysis indicated vitamin D’s role in the suppression of the inflammatory and adaptive immune response by down-regulating ten major histocompatibility complex class II genes, five alarmins of the S100 calcium binding protein A family and by affecting six chemokines of the C-X-C motif ligand family. Taken together, studying time-resolved responses allows to better contextualize the effects of vitamin D on the immune system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Mehri ◽  
Fatemeh Saeedi ◽  
Roghayeh Porbagher ◽  
Amrollah Mastafazadeh

Background: Immunometabolism targeting therapy of auto-inflammatory diseases is an emerging strategy compared to immune system global suppression. However, our knowledge in this field needs promotion. Objectives: We examined the effects of serum starvation stress on metabolic activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Methods: Fresh immune cells were isolated from four healthy adult volunteers and cultivated with or without fetal bovine serum (FBS) at various time points under standard conditions. Glucose and intra- and extracellular lactate levels were assessed using routine techniques, and 3-(4, 5 -dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay was used to determine mitochondrial function. Results: Spindle shape macrophage-like cells, which appeared early, were replaced at 96 h by large round monocytes/macrophage-like cells, with more frequency in the non-starved group. Interestingly, serum starvation dictated a status, especially in monocyte/macrophage-like cells, that led to prolong decrement in mitochondrial dehydrogenase-mediated reduction of MTT. This difference was confirmed with the MTT assay quantitatively (P < 0.05). Moreover, the intra- and extracellular lactate concentrations were lower in starved cells than in non-starved controls (P < 0.05), and glucose levels were higher in 72 h starved cell culture supernatants than in non-starved control cells (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study showed that under serum starvation-induced metabolic stress, lactate production is altered in immune cells, and total oxidative mitochondrial activity is reduced in macrophage-like cells. These findings open a new window to target immune cell metabolism for the treatment of autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A820-A820
Author(s):  
Andrzej Slominski ◽  
Tae-Kang Kim ◽  
Shariq Qayyum ◽  
Yuwei Song ◽  
Zorica Janjetovic ◽  
...  

Abstract New pathways of vitamin D3 (D3) activation initiated by CYP11A1 and involving other CYPs have been discovered. At least 15 hydroxyderivatives, including 20(OH)D3 as the major product, are generated by these pathways (1,2) with some being present in human serum, epidermis, and pig adrenals. CYP11A1 can also metabolize 7-dehydrocholesterol to produce 7-dehydropregnenolone, which can be further modified by steroidogenic enzymes generating Δ7-steroids (1,2). Lastly, CYP11A1 and CYP27A1 act on lumisterol (L3) producing at least 9 biologically active derivatives (1,2). Thus, new pathways generating a large number of biologically active secosteroids and lumisterol-derivatives have now been described. These compounds interact with the vitamin D receptor (VDR), retinoic acid receptors (RORs) α and γ, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)(1). These findings challenge dogmas that lumisterol is biologically inactive and that 1,25(OH)2D3 is the only active form of D3 exerting its effects exclusively through interaction with the VDR. In view of the above and since liver X receptors (LXRs) can be activated by oxysterols, we investigated the interactions of novel products of L3 and D3 metabolism with LXRs. Molecular docking, using crystal structures of the ligand binding domains (LBDs) of LXRα and β, revealed high docking scores for L3 and D3 hydroxymetabolites, like those of the natural ligands, predicting good receptor binding. RNA sequencing of murine dermal fibroblasts stimulated with D3-hydroxyderivatives revealed LXR as the second major nuclear receptor signaling pathway for several D3-hydroxyderivatives, including 1,25(OH)2D3. The involvement of LXRs was validated by the induction of several genes downstream of LXR. Furthermore, L3 and D3-hydroxyderivatives activated an LXR-response element (LXRE)-driven reporter in CHO cells and human keratinocytes. For keratinocytes, enhanced expression of LXR target genes was also observed supporting the involvement of LXR. Importantly, L3 and D3 derivatives showed high affinity binding to the LBD of the LXRα and β in LanthaScreen TR-FRET LXRα and β coactivator assays. The majority of metabolites functioned as LXRα/β agonists; however, 1,20,25(OH)3D3, 1,25(OH)2D3, 1,20(OH)2D3 and 25(OH)D3 acted as inverse agonists of LXRα, but as agonists of LXRβ. Molecular dynamics simulations performed for selected compounds, including 1,25(OH)2D3, 1,20(OH)2D3, 25(OH)D3, 20(OH)D3, 20(OH)L3 and 20,22(OH)2L3, showed overlapping and different interactions with LXRs. Identification of D3 and L3 derivatives as ligands for LXRs changes the accepted paradigms on their biological role and mechanism of action. 1. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2020;78(2):165-180. 2. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2019;186:4-21.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document